Last month, BBC governors rejected one viewer's objection to a Nazi salute by Clarkson on an edition broadcast last November.

They did admit there had been "a real potential to offend" but said most viewers would have known Clarkson often used "the most exaggerated stereotypes to support or defend his opinions".

They would not have taken his comments seriously for that reason, the governors added.

A BBC spokeswoman said there had also been "a number of calls" about a report on caravans broadcast on 16 July from "viewers who were taking issue with various aspects" of the feature.

The statement on the complaints website said Top Gear's format would not be changed.

But it reassured viewers that the corporation would continue to monitor the tone of the show.

"Were the presenters' comments and pranks carried out with any degree of seriousness, rather than being clearly tongue-in-cheek or adopting the deliberate overstatement that is the programme's trademark, we would of course take issue with them," it added.